Question 1

What is the "nature/nurture" debate,and why are sociologists concerned with it?

Accepted Answer

Students should point out that this debate is centered on which characteristics of humans are biological and which are social.Students might also point out that there are large areas of study within sociology,such as sociobiology,that look at the ways that nature and nurture-the biological and the social-interact to affect human characteristics.Students might suggest that sociologists are concerned with this because it is part of what defines the province of sociology against biology and genetics.Similarly,an innate "human nature" might put limits on the kinds of social organization that humans are capable of and the kinds of worlds that we can construct.Finally,students might point out that sociologists are concerned with it because,as sociologists,we are concerned with the "drivers" behind human behaviors and parsing the differences between instinct and culture gives us a better idea about what those drivers are and in what contexts they matter.

Question 2

Michelle claims that all human cultures are different and cannot be compared.How might sociologists critique her claim?

Accepted Answer

A) They would not.All cultures are different and cannot be meaningfully compared. 
B) Sociologists would respond that we cannot talk about "human culture" because it is not separate from our natural environment. 
C) They would criticize it on the grounds that it focuses on something as nebulous as human "culture" instead of our institutions. 
D) They would critique it for ignoring the central role of the economy in shaping this thing that Michelle calls "human culture." 
E) Sociologists would point out that there are cultural universals that seem to be shared by all human cultures. 
A) They would not.All cultures are different and cannot be meaningfully compared. 
B) Sociologists would respond that we cannot talk about "human culture" because it is not separate from our natural environment. 
C) They would criticize it on the grounds that it focuses on something as nebulous as human "culture" instead of our institutions. 
D) They would critique it for ignoring the central role of the economy in shaping this thing that Michelle calls "human culture." 
E) Sociologists would point out that there are cultural universals that seem to be shared by all human cultures. E

Question 3

Shannon notes that women in some cultures voluntarily alter their bodies with sometimes painful piercings that look weird from the point of view of her culture.She takes from this that women in those cultures must be horribly oppressed compared to women in her own culture.Shannon's position might be best interpreted as:

Accepted Answer

A) social psychological 
B) ethnocentrism 
C) cultural relativism 
D) historical materialism 
E) bureaucratic collectivism 
A) social psychological 
B) ethnocentrism 
C) cultural relativism 
D) historical materialism 
E) bureaucratic collectivism B

Question 4

__________ might be defined as judging other cultures in terms of the standards of one's own.

Accepted Answer

A) Multiculturalism 
B) Ethnocentrism 
C) Apoliticism 
D) Assimilation 
E) Cultural relativism 
A) Multiculturalism 
B) Ethnocentrism 
C) Apoliticism 
D) Assimilation 
E) Cultural relativism

Question 5

According to the text,compared with larger societies-particularly modern societies,such as the United States-most hunting and gathering groups were:

Accepted Answer

A) egalitarian 
B) brutish 
C) nasty 
D) authoritarian 
E) complex 
A) egalitarian 
B) brutish 
C) nasty 
D) authoritarian 
E) complex

Question 6

__________ refers to the application of biological principles to explain the social activities of animals,including human beings.

Accepted Answer

A) Biological determinism 
B) Sociobiology 
C) Social constructionism 
D) Marxism 
E) Symbolic interaction 
A) Biological determinism 
B) Sociobiology 
C) Social constructionism 
D) Marxism 
E) Symbolic interaction

Question 7

The textbook defines a(n)__________ as a system of interrelationships that connects individuals together.

Accepted Answer

A) commodity 
B) workplace 
C) ecosystem 
D) family 
E) society 
A) commodity 
B) workplace 
C) ecosystem 
D) family 
E) society

Question 8

The process whereby Western nations established their rule in parts of the world away from their home territories is called:

Accepted Answer

A) McDonaldization 
B) cultural appropriation 
C) ethnocentrism 
D) colonialism 
E) Manifest Destiny 
A) McDonaldization 
B) cultural appropriation 
C) ethnocentrism 
D) colonialism 
E) Manifest Destiny

Question 9

A __________ is used to describe any vehicle of meaning-any set of elements used to communicate,including all types of communication.

Accepted Answer

A) language 
B) signifier 
C) gesture 
D) word 
E) script 
A) language 
B) signifier 
C) gesture 
D) word 
E) script

Question 10

Societies whose means of subsistence are based on agricultural production (crop growing)are called __________ societies.

Accepted Answer

A) pastoral 
B) urban 
C) agrarian 
D) industrialized 
E) nomadic 
A) pastoral 
B) urban 
C) agrarian 
D) industrialized 
E) nomadic

Question 11

Medina is looking at the historical period in which smaller groupings of humans developed into much larger societies,often ruled by kings,queens,and emperors with the creation of cities and increasing inequality.She is studying the birth of what most sociologists call:

Accepted Answer

A) currency 
B) religion 
C) spirituality 
D) art 
E) civilization 
A) currency 
B) religion 
C) spirituality 
D) art 
E) civilization

Question 12

According to the text,what percentage of human societies uses speech?

Accepted Answer

A) 100 percent 
B) 75 percent 
C) 50 percent 
D) 25 percent 
E) 15 percent 
A) 100 percent 
B) 75 percent 
C) 50 percent 
D) 25 percent 
E) 15 percent

Question 13

Danny looks at U.S.culture differently than Maria.In turn,he studies how many different immigrant communities in the United States maintain more or less separate cultures but might still manage to participate equally in economic and political life.He is studying:

Accepted Answer

A) primitive accumulation 
B) assimilation 
C) cultural resistance 
D) nationalism 
E) multiculturalism 
A) primitive accumulation 
B) assimilation 
C) cultural resistance 
D) nationalism 
E) multiculturalism

Question 14

What is multiculturalism,and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

The text defines multiculturalism as the

Question 15

Mandy is studying differences in promiscuity between men and women and is critiquing the notion that men are genetically wired to want more sexual partners than women based on anthropological research that shows a wide variety of sexual practices in different human societies,both contemporarily and historically.She is studying what sociobiologists have called:

Accepted Answer

A) reproductive strategies 
B) human nature 
C) human antinomies 
D) social contract theory 
E) the sexual contract 
A) reproductive strategies 
B) human nature 
C) human antinomies 
D) social contract theory 
E) the sexual contract

Question 16

Simone de Beauvoir once famously asserted that "one is not born a woman,but becomes one" to suggest that "women" are created by cultural forces.How might sociobiologists respond to this?

Accepted Answer

A) De Beauvoir is correct; the essence of women can be found within all cultures. 
B) De Beauvoir misses that what constitutes a woman is biological as well as cultural. 
C) De Beauvoir fails to show how the category of "woman" is purely an effect of economics. 
D) De Beauvoir is correct because our biology determines our culture. 
E) De Beauvoir does not account for the role of industrialization in creating the category of "woman." 
A) De Beauvoir is correct; the essence of women can be found within all cultures. 
B) De Beauvoir misses that what constitutes a woman is biological as well as cultural. 
C) De Beauvoir fails to show how the category of "woman" is purely an effect of economics. 
D) De Beauvoir is correct because our biology determines our culture. 
E) De Beauvoir does not account for the role of industrialization in creating the category of "woman."

Question 17

Adherents to __________ acknowledge not only that certain central cultural values are shared by most people in a society,but also that certain important differences deserve to be preserved.

Accepted Answer

A) multiculturalism 
B) ethnocentrism 
C) apoliticism 
D) assimilation 
E) cultural relativism 
A) multiculturalism 
B) ethnocentrism 
C) apoliticism 
D) assimilation 
E) cultural relativism

Question 18

Rosa notes in her comparative historical research that one group she studied was sedentary but was not fully industrialized and relied primarily on crops as its means of livelihood.This group would best be classified as:

Accepted Answer

A) pastoral 
B) agrarian 
C) industrial 
D) hunter-gatherer 
E) postmodern 
A) pastoral 
B) agrarian 
C) industrial 
D) hunter-gatherer 
E) postmodern

Question 19

Kendrick studies which human behaviors might be innate and which might be learned through social processes.His studies contribute most to which sociological debate?

Accepted Answer

A) monogamy vs.polygamy 
B) economics vs.culture 
C) structures of accumulation vs.institutional roles 
D) nature vs.nurture 
E) macro vs.micro 
A) monogamy vs.polygamy 
B) economics vs.culture 
C) structures of accumulation vs.institutional roles 
D) nature vs.nurture 
E) macro vs.micro

Question 20

Jia Yin notes that in many countries,industrial development is,more or less,nonexistent.She is taking note of the:

Accepted Answer

A) Appalachian Trail 
B) McDonaldization of society 
C) industrializing of countries 
D) developing world 
E) urban core 
A) Appalachian Trail 
B) McDonaldization of society 
C) industrializing of countries 
D) developing world 
E) urban core

What is the "nature/nurture" debate,and why are sociologists concerned with it?

Michelle claims that all human cultures are different and cannot be compared.How might sociologists critique her claim?

__________ might be defined as judging other cultures in terms of the standards of one's own.

According to the text,compared with larger societies-particularly modern societies,such as the United States-most hunting and gathering groups were:

__________ refers to the application of biological principles to explain the social activities of animals,including human beings.

The textbook defines a(n)__________ as a system of interrelationships that connects individuals together.

The process whereby Western nations established their rule in parts of the world away from their home territories is called:

A __________ is used to describe any vehicle of meaning-any set of elements used to communicate,including all types of communication.

Societies whose means of subsistence are based on agricultural production (crop growing)are called __________ societies.

Medina is looking at the historical period in which smaller groupings of humans developed into much larger societies,often ruled by kings,queens,and emperors with the creation of cities and increasing inequality.She is studying the birth of what most sociologists call:

According to the text,what percentage of human societies uses speech?

Danny looks at U.S.culture differently than Maria.In turn,he studies how many different immigrant communities in the United States maintain more or less separate cultures but might still manage to participate equally in economic and political life.He is studying:

What is multiculturalism,and why does it matter?

Simone de Beauvoir once famously asserted that "one is not born a woman,but becomes one" to suggest that "women" are created by cultural forces.How might sociobiologists respond to this?

Adherents to __________ acknowledge not only that certain central cultural values are shared by most people in a society,but also that certain important differences deserve to be preserved.

Rosa notes in her comparative historical research that one group she studied was sedentary but was not fully industrialized and relied primarily on crops as its means of livelihood.This group would best be classified as:

Kendrick studies which human behaviors might be innate and which might be learned through social processes.His studies contribute most to which sociological debate?

Jia Yin notes that in many countries,industrial development is,more or less,nonexistent.She is taking note of the:

Sociology: Theory and Method

Socialization, the Life Course, and Aging

Social Interaction and Everyday Life in the Age of the Internet

Groups, Networks, and Organizations

Conformity, Deviance, and Crime

Stratification, Class, and Inequality

Global Inequality

Gender Inequality

Ethnicity and Race

Families and Intimate Relationships

Education and Religion

Politics and Economic Life

The Sociology of the Body: Health, Illness, and Sexuality

Urbanization, Population, and the Environment

Globalization in a Changing World

Filters

Exam 2: Culture and Society

What is the "nature/nurture" debate,and why are sociologists concerned with it?

Michelle claims that all human cultures are different and cannot be compared.How might sociologists critique her claim?

__________ might be defined as judging other cultures in terms of the standards of one's own.

According to the text,compared with larger societies-particularly modern societies,such as the United States-most hunting and gathering groups were:

__________ refers to the application of biological principles to explain the social activities of animals,including human beings.

The textbook defines a(n)__________ as a system of interrelationships that connects individuals together.

The process whereby Western nations established their rule in parts of the world away from their home territories is called:

A __________ is used to describe any vehicle of meaning-any set of elements used to communicate,including all types of communication.

Societies whose means of subsistence are based on agricultural production (crop growing)are called __________ societies.

Medina is looking at the historical period in which smaller groupings of humans developed into much larger societies,often ruled by kings,queens,and emperors with the creation of cities and increasing inequality.She is studying the birth of what most sociologists call:

According to the text,what percentage of human societies uses speech?

Danny looks at U.S.culture differently than Maria.In turn,he studies how many different immigrant communities in the United States maintain more or less separate cultures but might still manage to participate equally in economic and political life.He is studying:

What is multiculturalism,and why does it matter?

Simone de Beauvoir once famously asserted that "one is not born a woman,but becomes one" to suggest that "women" are created by cultural forces.How might sociobiologists respond to this?

Adherents to __________ acknowledge not only that certain central cultural values are shared by most people in a society,but also that certain important differences deserve to be preserved.

Rosa notes in her comparative historical research that one group she studied was sedentary but was not fully industrialized and relied primarily on crops as its means of livelihood.This group would best be classified as:

Kendrick studies which human behaviors might be innate and which might be learned through social processes.His studies contribute most to which sociological debate?

Jia Yin notes that in many countries,industrial development is,more or less,nonexistent.She is taking note of the:

Sociology: Theory and Method

Socialization, the Life Course, and Aging

Social Interaction and Everyday Life in the Age of the Internet

Groups, Networks, and Organizations

Conformity, Deviance, and Crime

Stratification, Class, and Inequality

Global Inequality

Gender Inequality

Ethnicity and Race

Families and Intimate Relationships

Education and Religion

Politics and Economic Life

The Sociology of the Body: Health, Illness, and Sexuality

Urbanization, Population, and the Environment

Globalization in a Changing World

Filters